Indepth: Music War Heats Up Between T-Series And Zee Telefilms

The long ongoing battle between Bhushan Kumar‘s T-Series and Subhash Chandra Goel‘s Zee Telefilms has once again heated up as Zee Telefilms has announced the revival of the Zee Music Banner that they had launched with their first home production movie Gadar Ek Prem Katha and has already signed deals with Reliance Entertainment, Fox Star India and others for their slate of films .

The Music Industry has been going through a huge turmoil since the past few years due to copyright issues with the musicians, lyricist and singers along with the bitter battle between T-Series and Zee Telefilms.

The disagreement between the two parties started in 2006 when Music Company Super Cassettes Ind. Ltd., had boycotted the music channel ETC Networks Ltd., by withdrawing all paid promos of films and non-films music and also supply of music videos and audio – visuals of film songs.

ETC had made a claim in a public notice that T-Series owed Rs. 7 Crores to ETC Networks Ltd. To this the T-Series Chairman And Managing Director, Bhushan Kumar stated, “It is being wrongly claimed by them in their public notice. In an agreement dated May 15, 2006, ETC Networks Ltd. has acknowledge and accepted its liability for payment of compensation / damages aggregating Rs. 5,73,50,000/- to our company against unauthorised usage of our copyrighted material. They have also agreed to adjust the aforesaid amount against advertisement dues receivable by them. This is not all, there are several instances of further copyright infringement even after the date of above referred agreement, claims / damages in respect of which aggregate approx Rs. 1.75 crores. It may be brought to the notice of public that these facts have not been disclosed by ETC Networks Ltd. in their public notice. Thus, as on date there is no liability on the part of our company towards ETC Networks Ltd. In addition the other ZEE Network channels have also committed acts of infringement in respect of copyrighted material owned by us for which the compensation along with damages would come to about Rs. 10 Crores.”

Bhushan Kumar further added, “T-Series has stopped patronizing Etc Networks Ltd. on account of them being rank infringers, whereas in their public notice they have tried to mislead the general public by attempting to present a contrary picture.”

The war continued for about three years and in the year 2009, Subhash Chandra,Owned Zee Telefilms hit back at T-Series over non-payment of dues and alleged forging of agreement papers. Zee Telefilms then had registered an FIR with Mumbai’s Economic Offence Wing (EOW) against The Chairman And Managing Director, T-Series, Mr. Bhushan Kumar, for cheating and forgery.

Now with the recent announcements of the revival of the Zee Music Company and having acquired the rights to the music 15 - 20 movies, The Indian Music Industry is looking at a mammoth change in the business.

Zee Music Company Revived : Acquires Music Rights Of Akshay Kumar’s Holiday

Pertinent to note that earlier Sony Music , SaReGaMa Ltd and Reliance Entertainment under the brand name BIG Music had also tried to challenge T Series in the music space but had miserably failed. With the arsenal of Media behind them, Zee Music Company definitely is more poised to take on T series but only time will tell the future of the Indian Music Industry.

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